How to fill gap above the keel ?

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Fender64

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I have a 27ft wooden long keeler. There is a small gap between the Iron hung keel and the first plank that needs some attention. It is currently filled with allsorts ..some wooden splining which appears ok and largely filler or putty? In some areas the filler has dried out hence the gaps..I..Any advice on whats best to use to do the job ?

Many thanks
 
It sounds as though it is time that the ballast was lowered away from the wooden keel, so that you can put a decent seal in there instead of a mishmash of botches. The purpose of a seal in there is to prevent the sea from getting near your keelbolts, much less having its wicked way with them. I would recommend a layer of thin geotextile [a non-rotting felt used by roadbuilders] soaked in Stockholm Tar.
Peter.
 
Heres a more serious answer...
The first gap is between the iron keel and the wooden keel. The keel would have been bedded on a ter/grease/putty mix with, as mentioned above, a felt (like roofing) gasket. All fine but it does go a bit hard after 50 yrs so dropping the keel and rebedding is good practice, but not a job to be undertaken lightly.
The next gap up is between the wooden keel and the first plank. This is called the garboard seam. It is caulked (Not 'corked') with either oakum or cotton. This formes the seal,then the stopping, usually red lead putty, covers the cotton and smooths then seam over.

With your gap, I would gently remove any loose 'stuff', prime, and stop up with putty. Monitor the joint and be aware it may be a possible leak source.
If you do rebed, dont use Sikaflex, silicon, straight putty oroil based mastics. Do make a new gasket.

A pic would help.
 
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